STRONG Group Athletics-Pilipinas overcame a seven-point deficit in the final minute of regulation before putting Chinese Taipei-A away in overtime, 83-79, on Sunday to capture the 43rd William Jones Cup crown.
Kiefer Ravena knocked down a three-pointer with 13.2 seconds in regulation to give Strong Group a 73-71 lead, capping a run of nine successive points that turned the game around after the Philippine side fell behind, 71-64.
Brandon Gilbeck sent the game into overtime with a follow-up with 7.6 seconds left in the final quarter but SGA steadied in overtime to join a distinguished list of Philippine sides to win one of the most prestigious basketball titles in Asia.
Sweet redemption for SGA
It is Strong Group’s first crown as a ballclub since finishing runner-up earlier this year in the Dubai International Championship with a team reinforced by former NBA player Dwight Howard. SGA lost to Al Riyadi in the final.
Strong Group is the seventh Philippine side to win the Jones Cup - and first since Mighty Sports in 2019. Both sides are coached by Charles Tiu.
Chris McCullough scored off a goaltending violation to break a 78-78 deadlock with 2:43 left in overtime, sparking a big finish kick by Strong Group while atoning for a bad shooting night for the former San Miguel import.
Entering the game with an average of 22.4 points, McCullough finished with 12 markers on 4-of-16 shooting. His shot that was blocked by Gilbeck was ruled a goaltending violation by the referees after a review, giving SGA the lead for good.
McCullough was later named the tournament MVP and headed its Mythical Five.
Tajuan Agee, who missed the two previous games due to a case of food poisoning, stepped up amidst the struggles of McCullough, adding 21 points and nine rebounds to perk up Strong Group after it trailed for the most part.
SGA looked headed for a second-place finish after being down by seven with only 1:08 remaining, the largest lead of Chinese Taipei in the contest.
Two free throws by Agee followed by a lay-up by Jordan Heading off a Ravena steal cut the deficit to three. Agee made two more free throws before Ravena, off another SGA steal, buried the go-ahead trey from the right corner.
SGA regrouped to open overtime with RJ Abarrientos making a three, and McCullough converting the go-ahead shot minutes later.
Chinese Taipei-A couldn’t take advantage after McCullough and Agee fouled out, scoring on free throws but failing to convert a field goal as the hosts suffered their only defeat of the tournament.
SGA led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, 35-24, only for the home team to keep the game close in the second half.
DJ Fenner had 15 points, nine rebounds, and four steals, while Abarrientos added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from threes in his last before joining crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.
Ravena had nine points on a 3-of-6 clip, nothing bigger than the trey he made in the final seconds of the fourth. He also had four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
The scores:
Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas 83 – Agee 21, Fenner 15, Abarrientos 14, McCullough 12, Ravena 9, Abando 6, Heading 4, Kouame 2, Tiongson 0.
Chinese Taipei-A 79 – R. Hinton 16, C.Y. Chun 13, Gilbeck 11, T.H. Chun 10, L. Cheng 8, A. Hinton 8, Hao 6, S.S. Xuan 5, Jinwei 2, Han J.Y. 0.
Quarters: 16-12; 41-34; 55-50; 73-73; 83-79.
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